


Sweet Tooth

by r0tkappchen



Series: Above and Under [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 00:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13283289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r0tkappchen/pseuds/r0tkappchen
Summary: Prompt #1 :“It's sad when your cotton candy belongs to someone else...or not if it's Kyungsoo” - Rochi (@potatodyo)





	Sweet Tooth

The funfair is _loud_.

 

Jongin thinks he's never seen so much people, grown-ups and children alike, bustling and running here and there – talking and laughing all at once. Screams resonate through the air from the tall rides and music is blasting from the speakers, and there are so many colours filling his vision. Everyone has smiles plastered on their faces; if you minus those who look ready to puke after a stomach-churning ride or the toddlers crying over spilt ice-cream. But all in all, the funfair is a merry place.

 

The excitement seeps into his skin and his grip on Minseok's two fingers tighten. He's jumpy and there's a bubbling happiness that he feels in the pit of his tummy from the atmosphere, but it's his first time to ever visit such a place in all of his five years of existence – the new things he's witnessing and going to go through today is slightly intimidating, and Jongin kind of regrets not taking along his Teddy Bear.

 

Mother's instincts kick in, bringing Minseok to realise that his little boy is troubled. His thumb caresses the back of Jongin's little hand comfortingly as he looks down, “Jonginnie, are you alright?”

 

The toddler tilts his head back to look up at his appa. “U-Um,” he stutters, “Yes..”

 

Minseok smiles, holding back a fond chuckle – he knows Jongin can be a little timid when it comes to bringing him to new places. Such is the case when they first enrolled the boy into a kindergarten; the first day had been a disaster, Jongin refusing to let his parents leave. And really, whose heart doesn't break once they lay eyes on tear-stained cheeks.

 

And even by the look on the little boy's face, it's obvious his son is lying, possibly trying to prove how he's a big boy now because Jongdae once told the young toddler that big boys don't get scared easily. He should remember to thank his husband for that or he would've been dealing with a wailing Jongin by now.

 

“My brave Jonginnie,” Minseok coos, “Because it's your first time here and you didn't cry, how about we go get you a treat first, yeah?”

 

The sparkle in Jongin's eyes at the mention of sweets is hard to go unnoticed, and almost instantly, a bright smile takes up half of his face. Minseok cheers internally, patting himself on the back – sweets and desserts have always been the best way to coax the younger out of his bubble.

 

They made their way through the crowd, passing by game booths and fun-looking rides that has Jongin awed and wide-eyed, his fear slowly dissipating. He sees a life-sized Mickey Mouse as well who's giving out balloons to children like him, and a real life princess putting on free tiaras on little girls. The rides and machines all look new and interesting though the train especially catches his eyes, and he makes it a point to ask his appa to take him to ride that after they've gotten themselves the treat.

 

They've soon reached a part of the fair where food stalls and treat booths line the area. Minseok squeezes his hand, “See anything you like, bud?”

 

Jongin scans around – wow, there are just so many things, so many choices and so many mouth-watering smell permeating the air. It's a hard task, to choose from such a big variety, but then—

 

Then he sees it.

 

There's a cart, surrounded by a group of boys and girls slightly bigger than him – elementary schoolers, probably – with a woman accompanying them, trying to calm them down. The vendor laughs at their antics as they fought for his treat, assuring that he's got enough for all, as he hands the children white plastic rods topped with cotton candy.

 

 _Cotton candy_.

 

Pink, _fluffy_ , cotton candy.

 

Sweet, _sweet_ , pink, fluffy, cotton candy.

 

“I want that!” Jongin jumps, eyes wide as he tugs at his appa's hand, the other free hand pointing at the cart. “Cotton candy! Please, please Appa, can I?”

 

“Are you sure?” Minseok asks, not wanting his son to regret his choice later. Jongin nods his head vigorously – it has been long since he last tasted that sugary thing in his mouth. Minseok chuckles, “Cotton candy it is, then!”

 

The short distance covered from where they're standing to the cart is accompanied with an extra skip to every step the younger takes, and Minseok can't help but smile. What better way to Jongin's heart than sweets. He knows he should limit the toddler's intake on these things for the sake of his health – and teeth – but then again Jongin's hasn't had that much chocolates lately and he figured he'd let the boy live today.

 

They had to wait for a while for the little crowd of children to leave, the last one squealing in delight as she's finally handed her own cotton candy and running to catch up to her friends joyfully. Jongin's going to be as happy soon, if not more so.

 

When it's finally their turn, Minseok releases Jongin's hand and nudges the younger forward with a soft push to his back. Jongin knows what his appa is trying to do, having been through this for quite a while when Minseok and Jongdae decided a few weeks back that it's time their son learn proper social interaction. While some thinks that their child is too young in age to start being educated of such things, they stick to the opinion that it's never too early to drill and implant some manners in the him.

 

Jongin trots up to the cart obediently, standing on his tippy-toes and little hands gripping on the edge of the metal rail as he looks up at the vendor. The man has greying hair but the aura he emits is nothing short of lively, and Jongin appreciates it when the man leans down a bit to better see him as well. “Hello, Mister!”

 

“Well hello to you too, boy!” the man greets merrily, “So nice, so good. How may I help this polite little man?”

 

“Thank you, Mister,” he smiles because his parents thought him to thank people for the compliments he receives. “I, um, can I please have..” Jongin suddenly stops, turning to his elder. “Appa, does Appa want cotton candy too?”

 

Minseok merely smiles and shakes his head. The boy turns back to the man, “Then can Jonginnie have one cotton candy, please?” Jongin holds out a finger, “Only one because Appa doesn't want. But Appa can share with Jonginnie if Appa wants too later.”

 

The man chuckles, the rumble of his voice accompanied with shaking shoulders. “One cotton candy for Jonginnie coming right up!” he makes to reach for one on a short, yellow pole with holes where he places his sugary art, only to find it empty. “Ah, we have to make a new one, then. Lucky boy, you get to see uncle do his magic and whip up a fresh cotton candy just for you.”

 

An audible gasp leaves his mouth. “I do?” he whispers, and the man confirms with a nod. “Appa, Appa, I get to see uncle make cotton candy!” he screeches excitedly, bounding up to his parent like a puppy.

 

“Do you, now?” Minseok feigns surprise, “Isn't that great, Jonginnie!”

 

“Uh-huh! Appa,” Jongin stretches his arms out and up, staring at the elder hopefully. “Up! Appa, lift me up, please? I want to see!”

 

“Okay; up we go!”

 

Minseok hides the little grunt he almost emits because Jongin is growing a little bit too healthily, even if he's not necessarily that plump; so he blames it on his lack of exercise instead. The excited gleam in the young one's eyes is worth it, he concludes. Balancing Jongin on his hips, Minseok takes a step closer to the cart so they can watch better as the man is just about to start.

 

Jongin only realises now, from his current point of view, that there's a big, open-topped cylinder metal pot embedded into the middle of the cart, an another black round thing in the middle of it. The old man grabs ahold of a round container filled with something akin to thoroughly crushed little rocks, only that they're pink and white in color, glistening like crystals under the sunlight. A confused frown mars Jongin's face when the man puts a some of it into a much, much smaller pot and begin mixing it with a small spoon of what the boy thinks is sugar.

 

“Mister, what are you doing?”

 

“Ah,” the man smiles, “See, if we're going to do some magic, we'll need fairy dusts to work by, won't we?”

 

The toddler makes and understanding sound of a prolonged 'oooh' and nods fervently.

 

The man scoops up some of the mixture with a something that Jongin thinks looks like a tiny version of a ladle, only to pour it in the black device attached to the metal pot and spread it out evenly, careful not to spill. He puts aside his things then, and retrieves a white plastic rod. “Ready?”

 

“Un!”

 

The man clicks something to turn on the machine, and the little device in the middle springs to life as it whirls, gaining speed. “Whoa,” Jongin awes, because it's so fast now that the fairy dusts becomes nothing but a blur. The man holds the stick close above the device, and after a few when Jongin can slightly feel the heat from the machine, the man yells, “Abacadabra!”

 

To Jongin's eternal shock, spider webs formed out of nowhere and the man swiftly catches them with the white rod. “Appa, Appa! Look the magic is working!” Jongin bounces in Minseok's arms and Minseok laughs. The man laughs as well as he twirls the rod, catching more and more and collecting those that formed around the metal pot as well, the spider webs weaving onto the rod steadily to add color onto the lump. The pink, soft-looking blob turns thicker and fatter each moment and so does the excitement in Jongin's heart. “Appa, so cool!”

 

The machine slows and the fairy dust is no more. But Jongin doesn't give as much care anymore – eyes fixed on the fresh cotton candy.

 

The man grins. “Do you like my magic, Jonginnie?”

 

“Yes! Mister is awesome! So cool!”

 

The man laughs heartily, leaning over to the boy. “Then how about Jonginnie have a taste of Mister's magic! Here you go, boy.”

 

Jongin squeals, high-pitched and ecstatic, as he encloses his little hands onto the rod. His face is lightened with a big, wide smile, “Thank you, Mister!”

 

“My pleasure.”

 

Jongin doesn't even seem to realise that Minseok is lowering him to put him down, too busy admiring his new treasure as his father converses with the man and pays for the treat. He briefly wonders if he should eat it or keep it as a memo, put it beside his stuffed teddy bear at home.

 

“Minseok-hyung!”

 

Eh, that's his appa's name!

 

As so does his father, Jongin turns to the source and sees a tall, lanky man waving in their direction. Jongin would've been intimidated by his towering figure and deep voice had he never seen this man before – further inspection rings a bell in his head that it's uncle Park, Appa's and Daddy's friend.

 

“Chanyeol-ah! Hey,” Minseok calls back, smiling. Chanyeol turns around to talk to someone before he comes walking in Minseok and Jongin's direction, and closer, Jongin only sees that he's got someone in tow.

 

And the someone is holding a boy.

 

“Hey, fancy meeting you here!” Chanyeol's fist-bumps Minseok. “I thought you hate crowded places, man?”

 

Minseok waves him off. “I don't _hate_ them Chanyeol, I just don't fare that well. And Jongdae and I thought it'd be nice to let Jongin have fun some.”

 

“Jongdae! Where's that loud man?”

 

“He's coming in a bit,” Minseok shrugs, then turn to the other person beside Chanyeol. “Hey Baek! I missed you, haven't seen you in a while now.”

 

“Well yeah,” Baekhyun says, “busy taking care of my boy here. And urgh, work is killing me I swear.”

 

Minseok gives him and apologetic look before he reaches down to tug at Jongin's free hand, “Jonginnie, you remember Uncle Park, don't you?” Jongin nods, staring wide-eyed at the family. “See, that's Kyungsoo, he's a year older than you. You can be friends with him.”

 

A year older?! But the boy looks so.. _small_.“Friend?”

 

“Yeah!” Baekhyun sings, and then lowers his voice a bit to talk to the little boy in his arms. “Soo, say hello to Uncle Minseok and Jonginnie.”

 

To Minseok and Jongin's surprise, a loud sniffle is heard instead. The boy tightens his arms around Baekhyun's shoulder and further buries his face into the crook of the man's neck.

 

“C'mon, Soo, don't be like this. See, Jonginnie wants to be friends with you, don't you Jonginnie?”

 

Jongin, lost at what to do, just nods his head vigorously.

 

“Appaaa,” Kyungsoo's tiny voice cracks, “I don't want too.”

 

Jongin frowns. Rude.

 

“Shh, shh, now now Soo, don't cry,” Baekhyun coos, rubbing his back. “Why don't you want to be friends with Jonginnie? Jonginnie is very nice!”

 

Silence. Then, “Jongginnie won't eat Soo?”

 

Minseok raises an eyebrow, surprised at the proposition. Chanyeol explains, “We passed by the haunted house earlier. A guy dressed up as a monster standing near the entrance scared the fu—” Minseok and Baekhyun throw him a glare “— _fudge_ out of him and his mood's dampened since.”

 

“They guy should've known better than to do that to a kid.”

 

Chanyeol guffaws as Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “Well he knows better now. He's gonna need a check-up at the hospital for his crotch area.” Baekhyun turns back to his son, “What do you say Soo?”

 

Kyungsoo peeks out from his hiding place to reveal half of his face. “Jongginnie play car with Soo?”

 

“Mmhm. Jonginnie can watch Pororo with Soo, too!”

 

All three adults glances at Jonginnie expectantly, though they didn't have to wait even a second before the young boy suddenly voices out a line from the cartoon in a serious imitation of Krong.

 

A passing group of girls squeals. Baekhyun is tempted to join them because _fucking cute!_

 

Kyungsoo seems to perk up at this too, the tensing in his shoulders decreasing a bit and Baekhyun takes it as a cue that all is well. He leans back to detach himself from Kyungsoo and smiles proudly at his boy when he's met with no resistance.

 

He puts Kyungsoo down, right in front of Jongin, and only then Jongin really, really gets a good look of his new playmate.

 

The boy is indeed smaller than him, but his eyes, wow his eyes – they're round and big like Uncle Park's, glistening and way more doe. Jet black hair falls onto caterpillar eyebrows, contrasting sharply with his pale skin. His cheek are tear stained, drying tear tracks evident on smooth canvas. Jongin is sure the boy's lips are quivering when he focuses on them harder.

 

 _Adorable_.

 

The boy fidgets in his spot, stubby fingers twiddling with each other and Jongin figures he's the one to start. “Hello!” Jongin holds out his free hand, “I'm Jonginnie!”

 

Kyungsoo stares at his hand, slowly taking it with his, “H-Hello..I'm S-Soo.”

 

Kyungsoo's eyes, trails from their clapsed hands, to his arm, to Jongin's smile, to the cotton candy. His eyes widen.

 

His lower lip disappears into his mouth and when Kyungsoo realises Jongin knows he's staring at his treat, his eyes dart away and he steps back. “Um, uh..”

 

“Oh honey,” Baekhyun says, “If you want that, we can buy one for you.”

 

“Really?”

 

Chanyeol smiles turning to the cart, “Yeah, just wait a sec—oh. It's closed for break.”

 

The hopeful glint in Kyungsoo's eyes vanished as it's replaced with glistening of tears instead, lips wobbling. “Soo can't have candy? S-Soo bad boy?”

 

“No, oh no, honey,” Baek panics, because his son is about to cry again and it'd probably take forever for him to stop. But tears well more in his eyes and his his orbs has begun to scrunch—

 

The sight is heartbreaking. Jongin purses his lips – looking back and forth between the boy and his cotton candy, his wonderful, wonderful piece of magic. He's not willing to give it away, the cotton candy is _his_ , the mister made it especially for _him_ , right in front of his eyes. It's _his_ , not anyone else's.

 

But the first sob leaving Kyungsoo's mouth has him thrusting his cotton candy forward immediately. Kyungsoo freezes, looking at him, and his face looks pitiful like that. “Here!” Jongin says, bashfully albeit a little begrudgingly, “Soo..Soo can have Jonginnie's..”

 

“Oh, you don't have to—” Minseok shuts Baekhyun off, mouthing an “it's okay”, and there's a proud smile playing on his lips. Jongin's getting fried chicken tonight.

 

“F-For -hic- Soo?”

 

“Yeah,” Jongin confirms, more confident this time. It might have something to do with the spark in Kyungsoo's eyes. “For Soo.”

 

Kyungsoo's face lights up like a christmas tree, the beginning of a grin pulling at his lips as he takes the rod shyly from Jongin's grip. “Thank you!”

 

“You're welcome,” Jongin replies. Kyungsoo turns his attention to his gift, expression filled with wonder, and instead of regret, Jongin frels pride that he's the one to lift the boy's spirit up.

 

Jongin watches as the boy takes in a mouthful of the cotton candy. His eyes crinkle into crescents as he smiles wide when the sweetness graced his cotton buds, and something fills Jongin's gut. The world seems to dissipate, their parents' chatter leaving into the distance, his only focus now on his happy friend.

 

Kyungsoo takes another mouthful, filling his cheeks and they turn rounded, and Jongin looks on as they begin to color with mirth, and moves up and down when he savours the treat.

 

Up, down.

 

_So round.._

 

Up, down.

 

_So soft.._

 

Jongin licks his lips.

 

Up, down.

 

_Pink..Fluffy.._

 

  
CHOMP!

 

 

Needless to say, Kyungsoo cries for the umpteenth time that day and goes home with a large bite-mark on his cheek.

Well, as for Jongin, let's just say he spends the day pouting – not because of being scolded, but rather because now Kyungsoo believes he's going to eat him for real.

 

~~Not that that's entirely false.~~

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sweet tooth, sweet cheeks ♡


End file.
